1. Field of The Invention
Applicant""s invention relates to a weep hole insect barrier for existing and new construction that prevents insects and other pests from crawling into cavity walls in a typical house through weep holes.
2. Background Information
In a typical house, a space, more particularly a cavity wall, exists between an interior wall and an exterior wall. Moisture often collects within this cavity wall so weep holes are often used to let moisture out of the cavity wall. These weep holes are simplysmall vertical openings located at the bottom of the exterior wall. Unfortunately, while the weep hole openings serve the useful purpose of letting moisture out of the cavity wall, they also act as a passageway that allows insects to crawl into the cavity wall. Once insects are in the cavity wall, they climb up to the attic and then into the interior of the home though openings such as electrical outlets, light fixtures, fans, A/C ducts, and adjacent garage spaces. This causes an insect problem for the inhabitants of the house. Applicant""s invention was designed to prevent insects and other pests from crawling into cavity walls in a typical house through weep hole openings while allowing moisture to escape from the cavity walls via the weep holes, adequate ventilation, and access to the cavity wall via the weep holes.
There are several inventions known in the prior art that are related to Applicant""s present invention. U.S. Pat. No. 2,530,919 issued to Taylor, provides for a wall vent which is adapted to be attached to a wall structure to permit moisture to escape from inner walls and having a screen that will prevent undesirable foreign substances from entering. U.S. Pat. No. 3,429,084 issued to Brewer, provides for a duct assembly to drain condensation from between walls and to prevent invasion of insects. U.S. Pat. No. 4,102,093 issued to Harris, provides for an insect control system for buildings of masonry construction and the like which is to be used in connection with the weep hole. U.S. Pat. No. 2,905,072 issued to Oswald, discloses a ventilator with a vermin excluding screen used in insulated frame wall structures to prevent accumulation of moisture in the walls. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,145 issued to Allred, a ventilating apparatus for building foundations in both brick and side type structures is disclosed which restricts the passage of objects therethrough. U.S. Pat. No. 5,167,104 issued to Alvarado, provides for a permanent weep hole cover which prevents entrance of insects.
The weep hole insect barrier of the present invention provides some advantages over the known prior art. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,429,084, numerous modifications to the weep hole are necessary before the invention is useful. This can be quite expensive and time consuming. Applicant""s present invention is simpler resulting in less time and money exhausted in the project. Second U.S. Pat. No. 5,167,104 requires that the weep hole cover be permanently attached to the weep hole to prevent the insects from coming into the house. Such an invention is impractical because there may be times when access must be made to the cavity wall. Having a permanent cover in place would require the cover to be forcibly removed possibly causing damage to the housing.
The remaining prior art inventions disclosed perform the same function as Applicant""s present invention, but they do so in different ways using different configurations.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel weep hole insect barrier that allows moisture to escape from cavity walls.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel weep hole insect barrier that not only allows moisture to escape from cavity walls, but provides a barrier that prevents insects and other pests from entering the cavity walls.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a novel weep hole insect barrier that can be used for weep holes of existing as well as new construction.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel weep hole insect barrier that can have a varied frame depending on its use within existing or new construction.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel weep hole insect barrier that uses a flap mechanism which allows entry by a person into the cavity wall through the weep hole if necessary while still acting as a barrier to insect invasion.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel weep hole insect barrier that utilizes a screen to allow for the escape of moisture from the cavity walls.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a novel weep hole insect barrier that can be put in place without modification to the weep hole.
In satisfaction of these and related objectives, Applicant""s present invention provides for a novel weep hole insect barrier which permits its practitioner to utilize all of the benefit of the weep hole to allow the escape of moisture from the cavity wall while preventing insects from crawling into the weep hole and infesting the house.